


An unexpected conversation

by Bacner



Category: The Gifted (TV 2017)
Genre: AU - Freeform, Conversation, F/F, Gen, Inner Circle - Freeform, Minor Spoilers, Morlocks - Freeform, Mutant Underground, Popular Culture References, Post-Home, Reeva actually got a conscience somewhere, Some profanity, impromptu flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 12:09:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17446697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bacner/pseuds/Bacner
Summary: Whatever Lauren had expected for the day in the Mutant Underground HQ, it was not an unexpected visitor/guest.





	An unexpected conversation

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: none of the characters belong to me.
> 
> Note: this story is rated M because there's some profanity in it.

The day was one of those days that appears to drag forever and be not entirely dreary, but not exactly pleasant or anything like that either. The weather, as befitted mid-winter, was cold, the sky – a mix of sun and cloud, (snow clouds, BTW), and the chill was felt even despite the heating, which was on. That chill was especially carried by the wind, and the latter packed such a cold punch that most people preferred to travel by car, or by public transportation, or however, but not by foot – rather, they would stay home, or whatever passed for home; in Lauren Strucker’s case it right now consisted of the local Mutant Underground HQ. Initially, she prepared for a lonely day, since Marcos was out, either contacting Lorna or someone else, her parents were elsewhere, dealing with the latest Strucker family emergency, and John was in a bad place again, as he just lay down face-first on his bed and was a complete mess without ‘his Clarice’. While normally Lauren would probably have words with the other mutant regarding relationships in general and his with Clarice’s in particular, she was busy entertaining an unexpected guest instead.

“…This isn’t how I planned to spend my day,” Reeva commented, as she helped the other mutant with the chores of the day. “I’m certain that your brother has conspired with at least one of the Frosts to get me out of the Inner Circle for today.”

“Of course he did,” Lauren muttered back; on one hand, she did want to fight the older mutant; on the other, common sense told her that if she did, it would be counterproductive, and someone would get hurt. Probably John, who was of no help whatsoever, but, was just lying there like a log. “I wonder why.”

Reeva gave her a look to can the bullshit. “Yes, well,” Lauren read it loud and clear but would not fold immediately – it was a Strucker family trait, after all. “I’m only enduring your company because you’ve been helpful so far and are still a better, well, company than John over there – you sure that you aren’t in cahoots with the Morlocks?”

“Yes,” Reeva said wearily, “Lauren, no one is in the cahoots with the Morlocks. They are like rats – impossible to ignore, but equally impossible to be useful: the game’s just not worth the candle. If this Clarice woman went to join them, she’s a fool and a coward, nothing more.”

Lauren glared, but because she was actually rather angry about Clarice’s departure herself, she said nothing, but rather changed the topic.

“So, where’d you learn to make drinks like that? I don’t know what you’ve given me, but it cleared my head and chased away my sleepiness-“

“Actually, it’s Marcos Diaz’s invention, or rather – a family recipe,” Reeva replied, oddly sounding more demure than before. “It involves cocoa, red peppers, Baikal skullcap, and a bunch of other ingredients, both rare and mundane. Sadly, it seems that during his tryst with Carmen Guerra he had lost control of it, and his loss is my gain.”

“Is there anything of yours that is truly yours and not from someone else?” Lauren asked with a surprising bitterness. “You may promise the world to everyone who would follow you, but in reality? You just take, and you take, and you take.”

For several moments, the two young women just stared at each other, neither backing down – and then Reeva did. “No,” she said bitterly, as she picked imaginary lint from her citrus-colored clothes, “I do not. Esme’s right about you Struckers – you see straight through bullshit, don’t you? Your brother’s the same way-“

“Then why is he with you?” Lauren asked in a small voice, (and hated herself for sounding like that).

“Because apparently he needed space from the rest of you,” Reeva did not sound so happy herself, “plus Esme.”

“Of course,” Lauren rolled her eyes.

“Oh puleeze, who are you people, the Lannisters?” Reeva said flatly. “Had you heard her voice? She sounds as if she has swallowed a throatful of helium beforehand. For a while I thought that she was doing this on purpose to annoy me, but then I heard her talk to Lorna and your brother and realized that no, this is how she really sounds, and that is just sad. Can you imagine living your life sounding like a rubber toy and be aware of that, because, hey, triplets!”

“…We’re not like the Lannisters,” Two red spots appeared on Lauren’s cheeks, “and does Andy even care about her voice?”

“He cares about her, period,” Reeva looked away. “It looks like a nice thing, from the outside…”

“We’re still going to stop you,” Lauren looked away this time. “I don’t know how, because numbers are on your side, but we will, somehow.”

“Good,” Reeva agreed, catching Lauren flat-footed, again. “You totally should. You are right, you know? I just take, and I take, and I take. I do not even like to look at myself in the mirror anymore. You will totally stop me – this is something both you and your brother agree upon. He just…thinks that I should also be given a chance, because I was nice to him, and helped him train, and whatnot. God, but I hate you Struckers. I should go.” She abruptly got onto her feet…abruptly enough to lose her footing, and fell back down onto the chair she had been sitting upon with a thump. “I meant to do that?” Reeva’s cheeks turned a reddish-black color.

“Of course you did,” Lauren agreed, because she honestly did not want to enjoy the other woman’s discomfort. Whatever her personality normally was, today Reeva had been a helpful guest, (and not just because Lauren hated being by herself, either). “Our parents and Marcos have texted me – they might be out for a while, gathering support for the new plan to stop you. Maybe you could stay here for a while yet? Plus the weather is growing colder still-”

To Lauren’s honest surprise, Reeva gave her suggestion some thinking – a lot of thinking, actually. “All right,” she finally spoke with a surprising (for Lauren) resolution. “I will. I think that I know what their plan is too…but we will have to wait and see. I will stay.”

“Really? Yay! And can you share the plan?” Lauren asked with more playful mischief in her voice than she intended to; she caught herself, and turned reddish-pink again. 

“I think that I will rather have you wait and see for yourself,” Reeva got onto her feet once more and joined Lauren by the window. “It is going to be probably a nice surprise for you.”

“I love surprises,” Lauren muttered, before grimacing: the older woman was clearly throwing her off the game, (whatever it was).

“Of course you do,” Reeva agreed as she stood at Lauren’s side.

Together, the two women looked outside: the sun had set, (the days were growing longer, but were still quite short, because winter), and the moon and the stars were coming out. A night was falling upon USA in general and Washington D.C. in particular, one that would bring an entirely new set of changes upon the mutant society in the U.S.

End


End file.
